DeWitt company conducting air tests related to Gulf oil spill, needs to hire five chemists

DeWitt, NY -- A local company has been working around the clock because of the oil spill in the Gulf Coast states and needs to hire five chemists to help with the extra work.

Galson Laboratories has been monitoring the air quality for a company that’s assisting with the spill cleanup since the middle of last week, said Joe Unangst, president of the DeWitt company. His company does environmental testing for other firms to make sure they are in compliance with OSHA regulations.

Unangst said his client, whom he would not name, has about 200 people working on the cleanup. It needs to ensure that the air is safe to breathe for its workers. When the oil reaches the shore, it breaks down and releases chemicals into the air that can be harmful. If the air is not safe, the company has to provide the workers with equipment that will filter the air for them.

So far, Galson has sent out 2,500 sampling kits to the company. The kits absorb the air and are then sent back to the East Syracuse lab and tested as soon as possible.

Unangst said the cleanup is creating thousands of samples for his company to analyze, often the same day they are received. He expects the extra work to continue indefinitely, which is why Galson needs to hire five more chemists as soon as possible. Pay for the position is based on experience, Unangst said.